When it comes to building the best eCommerce stores, Shopify is a great platform. But even within that, you need to select the right plan to unlock the platform’s full potential, according to your project. For growing businesses, the choice is between Shopify Advanced and Shopify Plus.
Shopify Advanced delivers robust features like advanced analytics and checkout customization for serious sellers. Shopify Plus, on the flip side, offers enterprise-grade solutions, including dedicated support and scalability.
Through this blog, we’ll compare Shopify Advanced vs Shopify Plus, breaking down their pricing, features, and ideal use cases. Plus, you’ll see how the expert Shopify developers decide which tier aligns with your operational needs. Let’s begin.
Overview of Shopify Advanced
Designed for scaling merchants, Shopify Advanced bridges the gap between standard plans and enterprise solutions. This tier unlocks critical features like lower card rates and third-party calculated shipping rates. Plus there’s an advanced report builder along with 15 staff accounts. These tools can become essential when managing six-figure sales volumes.
Pricing: Available for $299 per month.
Key Features of Shopify Advanced
- 10 inventory locations
- Enhanced 24/7 chat support
- Localized global selling (3 markets) + add markets for $59 USD/mo each
- 15 additional staff accounts
- Transaction fees of 0.6% per sale
- Rate limit of up to 2x on select APIs
This plan is ideal for businesses approaching $1M in revenue and need more control than that offered by the Pro. It’s the perfect stepping stone to Shopify Plus.
Overview of Shopify Plus
Shopify Plus is built for high-volume brands and fast-scaling businesses. It’s the platform’s flagship enterprise solution, offering unmatched customization, automation, and scalability.
Unlike standard plans, Plus provides dedicated merchant success managers, custom API integrations, and wholesale channel capabilities. That makes it the go-to choice for businesses processing $1M+ in annual revenue.
Pricing: Available for $2,300 per month.
Key Features of Shopify Plus
- 200 inventory locations
- Priority 24/7 phone support
- Localized global selling (50 markets)
- Unlimited staff accounts
- Fully customizable, high-volume checkout
- Up to 200 POS Pro locations
- Transaction fees of 0.2% per sale
- Rate limit of up to 2x on select APIs
- 25 headless storefronts
Shopify Plus is ideal for brands needing global expansion tools, B2B functionality, and high-level support. It eliminates growth barriers while maintaining Shopify’s signature ease of use.
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Detailed Difference Between Shopify Advanced & Shopify Plus
Shopify is one of the top eCommerce platforms. But when it comes to crafting the perfect store, you need to select the right Shopify plan. As you can imagine, Shopify Plus is a better, albeit pricier, plan as compared to Shopify Advanced. But our aim is to see how they differ. So we compare Shopify Advanced vs Shopify Plus in great detail.
Apps & Feature Customization
Shopify Advanced gives merchants access to the standard Shopify App Store. So they can add functionality through third-party apps. It supports basic API integrations for connecting with other business tools. However, customization is limited compared to Plus.
Shopify Plus, on the other hand, unlocks enterprise-level flexibility. Merchants can develop private apps and access Plus-exclusive automation tools like Shopify Flow. And you can integrate it with complex ERP and CRM systems. The platform also supports wholesale automation, making it ideal for B2B operations.
Verdict: Plus is the clear winner for businesses needing deep customization and automation.
Design Flexibility & Control
With Shopify Advanced, merchants can edit themes using Liquid (Shopify’s templating language) and customize the look of their storefront. However, the checkout page remains largely standardized, with only minor adjustments allowed.
Shopify Plus removes these restrictions. Merchants can fully customize the checkout experience and implement headless commerce solutions. You can even build entirely unique storefronts. Plus-exclusive themes and unlimited design control make it the best choice for brands that demand a premium, tailored shopping experience.
Verdict: Plus offers far greater design freedom, especially for checkout customization.
Multi-location Inventory Checkout
Shopify Advanced supports up to eight inventory locations, which is sufficient for small to mid-sized businesses with multiple warehouses or retail stores. However, it lacks advanced global selling features like automatic currency and tax adjustments.
Shopify Plus allows unlimited inventory locations and includes built-in tools for international selling. Dynamic currency conversion, localized pricing, and geo-based checkout optimization help global brands streamline operations and improve customer experience.
Verdict: Plus is essential for businesses with complex inventory or global sales.
Multiple Storefronts
On Shopify Advanced, each additional storefront requires a separate subscription. That can become costly for brands managing multiple stores.
Shopify Plus simplifies this by allowing up to 10 storefronts (nine expansion stores plus the primary store) under a single dashboard. This is perfect for businesses running multiple brands, regional stores, or wholesale and retail channels.
Verdict: Plus is the only viable option for brands with multiple storefronts.
Tailored Checkout
Shopify Advanced permits minor checkout adjustments, such as editing fields or adding basic scripts. However, the checkout remains largely locked down, limiting conversion optimization opportunities.
Shopify Plus provides full checkout customization, including post-purchase upsells, one-click upsell scripts, and advanced fraud analysis. These features can significantly boost conversion rates, making Plus the better choice for high-volume stores.
Verdict: Plus is superior for optimizing checkout conversions.
Integration with POS
Both plans support Shopify POS, but Shopify Advanced has limitations in retail features. It works well for basic in-person sales but lacks advanced retail automation.
Shopify Plus enhances POS with B2B wholesale capabilities, custom loyalty programs, and seamless inventory syncing across online and offline channels. Retailers with complex operations will benefit from the added flexibility.
Verdict: Plus is the better option for omnichannel and B2B retail.
Subscription Cost
Shopify Advanced costs $399 per month, making it a cost-effective choice for growing businesses that need advanced features without enterprise pricing.
Shopify Plus starts at $2300 per month, with costs scaling based on sales volume. While it’s expensive, the investment is justified for businesses generating over $1 million annually. The advanced tools and support can drive significant ROI.
Verdict: Advanced is better for small to mid-sized businesses; Plus is worth it at scale.
Priority vs Dedicated Support
Shopify Advanced includes 24/7 priority support, ensuring faster responses than lower-tier plans. However, merchants don’t get a dedicated account manager.
Shopify Plus provides a dedicated Merchant Success Manager, launch engineers for migrations, and VIP support with faster resolution times. This level of service is crucial for enterprise businesses that can’t afford downtime.
Verdict: Plus offers superior, hands-on support for high-stakes operations.
User Access Control
Shopify Advanced allows up to 15 staff accounts with standard permission levels, which is sufficient for small teams.
Shopify Plus offers unlimited staff accounts with highly customizable roles. Businesses can set granular permissions for different departments (e.g., marketing, fulfillment, finance). That makes it ideal for large organizations.
Verdict: Plus is the only option for businesses with large or complex teams.
Pick Advanced if you’re a fast-growing brand needing better reporting & checkout control without enterprise costs. But you can upgrade to Plus if you’re scaling globally, need custom APIs, B2B tools, or ultra-low transaction fees.
For a better idea of which platform would be ideal, get help from our dedicated Shopify development company.
Why Choose Shopify Plus Over Shopify Advanced?
Shopify Advanced is a powerful plan for growing businesses. But Shopify Plus is the undisputed choice for brands that need enterprise-level scalability, customization, and automation. Here’s why serious ecommerce businesses upgrade to Plus:
For Businesses Scaling Beyond $1M+ in Revenue
Shopify Advanced works well up to a certain point. But Plus removes growth barriers with unlimited staff accounts and multi-store management. Plus, credit card rates are lower, negotiable at high volumes.
If you’re pushing seven-figure sales, the cost of Plus pays for itself in saved transaction fees and efficiency gains.
Complete Checkout & Storefront Customization
Unlike Advanced, which restricts checkout modifications, Plus allows full scripting control, enabling one-click upsells, post-purchase offers, and geo-targeted pricing. This level of customization can boost conversions by 10-20%, directly impacting revenue.
Global Selling Made Effortless
Advanced supports only eight inventory locations, while Plus allows unlimited locations with automated currency/tax adjustments. If you sell internationally, Plus’s localized checkout, multi-language support, and global payment gateways streamline expansion.
Wholesale & B2B Functionality
Advanced lacks built-in B2B tools, but Plus includes wholesale channels, bulk pricing, and custom buyer portals. If you sell to other businesses, Plus automates bulk orders, contract pricing, and tiered discounts.
Dedicated Support & Faster Issue Resolution
While Advanced offers priority support, Plus assigns a dedicated Merchant Success Manager. It ensures faster troubleshooting, migration assistance, and strategic guidance. For high-volume stores, downtime is costly, making Plus’s VIP support invaluable.
Automation That Saves Time & Money
Advanced has basic automation, but Plus includes Shopify Flow (exclusive to Plus). That lets you automate workflows like fraud analysis, inventory alerts, and customer segmentation. This reduces manual work and minimizes errors.
Future-Proofing Your Business
If you plan to expand into multi-brand stores, subscription models, or headless commerce, Plus provides the infrastructure. Advanced simply can’t match its flexibility for long-term growth.
All in all, if you’re growing fast, expanding globally, or managing a complex setup, Shopify Plus is a smarter investment. With better automation, more control, and priority support, it helps you work more efficiently and boost revenue. If you’re also using professional Shopify development services, you’ll get even more out of what Plus has to offer. That’s why it’s often the top choice for ambitious brands.
FAQs on Shopify Advanced vs Shopify Plus
Can I customize my checkout on Shopify Advanced?
Only minimally. Advanced allows basic field edits, but Plus unlocks full checkout scripting (e.g., post-purchase upsells, dynamic shipping discounts). This can increase conversions by 10–20% for high-traffic stores.
Does Shopify Plus support multiple stores?
Yes! Plus includes up to 10 storefronts (1 primary + 9 expansion stores) under one account. Advanced requires separate subscriptions for each store, which gets expensive.
Which plan offers better fraud protection?
Both plans include basic fraud analysis, but Plus offers advanced fraud filtering, custom risk rules via Shopify Flow, and priority fraud monitoring.
So, Which is Better? Shopify Advanced vs Shopify Plus?
The right Shopify plan depends entirely on your business size, growth stage, and future ambitions. Let’s give you an idea:
Choose Shopify Advanced if:
- You’re scaling toward $1M in revenue.
- You need better reporting and lower fees than Shopify Pro.
- Basic automation and checkout tweaks are sufficient.
Upgrade to Shopify Plus if:
- You’re surpassing $1M/year and need enterprise features.
- You’re expanding globally or into B2B/wholesale.
- You’re managing multiple brands or storefronts.
Understand that there’s no “better” option–only what’s better for your business right now. You can start with Advanced (for big enough enterprises), then upgrade to Shopify Plus.
For help with that and the development, consult with us today!
